


People Change People

by creativityobsessed



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 05:07:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4733822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creativityobsessed/pseuds/creativityobsessed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shawn Hunter has always been a loner. Maybe he doesn't have to be anymore.</p><p>Shawn's POV on Girl Meets World.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

The first time Shawn held Riley, he knew he had to get out.

It was 6:30 in the morning, and he had spent all night trying to keep Topanga from killing Cory, and keep Cory from fainting. He was exhausted, but once Cory handed him the tiny bundle that was screaming so loudly, the strongest wave of feeling swelled inside him. She quieted almost as soon as he took her and before he could stop himself, he breathed "You made this." It wasn’t even supposed to be out loud but Cory elbowed him in the side and said loudly "I know, huh!" in response. The words are almost too loud, and they feel wrong.

Shawn could feel tears prickle behind his eyes, so he handed her back to Cory who started babbling at her in noisy baby talk. He excused himself to the bathroom almost immediately just to get away. Once there he takes a few deep breaths. There's no reason for him to be crying - no reason for anyone to be crying, this is a happy event - but a tiny, traitorous part of him makes him want to cry anyway. It  wasn’t supposed to be like this. She wasn’t his kid. And that thought made it worse.

For years now he'd been holding it together fairly well. Even when Angela stopped writing and calling he'd still convinced himself somehow that he could still have what Cory and Topanga have. But this little baby made all those carefully crafted lies come crumbling down. He has always wanted that love, and now that he's held little Riley, he knows that's not all - he wants the whole thing, a wife and a family, and at the rate he's going, well... 

Cory accosted him as soon as he left the bathroom.

"Are you okay, buddy?" he asked. 

"Yeah," Shawn said, after a pause that was maybe slightly too long, "Congratulations!"

“Yeah, thanks, are you _sure_ you’re okay, Shawnie?” Cory pushed.

“Yeah,” Shawn replied, and just at that moment a nurse came to give Riley back to Cory. Shawn could see that he’d already lost the battle as soon as Riley was in Cory’s arms, and that wasn't what hurt the most. What hurt the most was wanting what Cory has, and knowing he’s never going to get it.

“Listen, Cor, I’ve got a job interview out of town, I’ve gotta go,” he said. It's not exactly true, and Cory barely even acknowledged that he said anything, but that’s okay. Cory has Riley now. He doesn’t need Shawn.

***

Every few years Shawn returns to New York, but he can’t ever quite bring himself to visit the Matthews’ properly. He knows where they live and all, so he hangs around for a few days making sure they’re okay. Sometimes he’d get caught, of course, and then be forced to spend a few hours making nice with everyone. Not that it was a chore, but every glance at Riley reminded him of just how much he was missing out on and that was killing him. And so he pretends not to see the hurt look on her face, once she gets old enough to realize he's leaving and he hasn’t even said “hello,” makes excuses - “I’ve got an assignment in Nigeria!” - and leaves. It isn’t great, and it means that he doesn’t get to see Cory much, but that's okay. Cory doesn’t need him anymore.

Ever since then it’s pretty much just been Shawn on his own. Really, it has to be, what with all the traveling he does. And he’s okay with that, really he is. He makes do. Cory never really calls anymore, but that’s okay. Shawn’s getting to see all the wonders of the world and that is something he would never have believed he could do, back when they were in high school. In fact, for years he thought he wouldn’t amount to anything, but now he has a little money put by, a stable job (for the most part) and a company that’s willing to pay him to travel as much as he wants. It’s a great life, even if it is a little lonely. Besides, it’s not that lonely - he has Lisa, his liaison to the company, and he checks in with Jack every once in a while. He’s used to this life. Why would it ever need to change?

 

***

On December 23rd, 2014, Shawn actually comes in to the office to see Lisa. He finished his last assignment a few weeks ago and he still hasn’t heard anything about his next one. Sure, he can wander around taking pictures of whatever he wants - every once in a while he can sell them something that wasn’t officially an assignment if it’s good enough - but he’s getting restless.

“Hey Lisa!” he says, with a smile. “What’cha got for me?” Lisa looks up from packing her briefcase with a strange look on her face.

“Shawn, it’s two days before Christmas!” she replies, “I’m getting ready to go home! You should too.”

“I know,” he says, backpedaling slightly, “I just thought-”

“Go _home_ Shawn. Be with your family.”

“I-I don’t really have-”

“You don’t have anybody at all? I find that really hard to believe.”

“Well, I mean, Cory and Topanga invited me… but that’s okay, it’s not a big deal.”

“You mean the famous Cory? The one you have a million stories about? And you don’t think they really want you there?”

“No! It’s not that! It’s just- their lives are different now, they have kids, and his parents are coming - they don’t need me to add to the stress.”

“Shawn,” Lisa stops what she’s doing to look him directly in the eyes, “You and Cory were best friends right?”

“We still _are_ best friends!” he protests.

“And how long have you been avoiding him?”

“I’m not-” he stops at the look on her face, “Thirteen years,” he amends quietly, looking at his shoes like a teenager.

“That’s your assignment, Shawn. You’re already here in New York. Go have Christmas with your friends. Forget about work for a few days.”

“But-”

“And let _me_ forget about _you_ for a few days, Mr. Hunter! I don’t want to see or hear from you until after January 1st, you got it?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Lisa smiles at him finally. “Have fun, Shawn. And don’t worry. I’ll email you details for your next assignment soon. I think I have something in upstate New York you’ll like.”

“Upstate? But that’s right close-”

“Good _bye_ , Shawn,” she says firmly, ushering him out the door.


	2. Home for the Holidays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events of Girl Meets Home for the Holidays, Shawn has some thinking to do.

When he actually gets to the Matthews’ he waits outside in his car for a few minutes, steeling himself. It should be okay. It’s just Cory and Topanga, after all. And their kids.

But the evening goes better than he expected. Well, not during, because the girls keep pestering him about being cold with Riley. And… that’s fair. But the result was pretty good. The moment Riley took his face in her hands in the bakery was… enlightening. It’s the first time he’s really thought of her as a person rather than as Cory’s kid. And when she came up with the whole “I remind you of what you don’t have” bit of wisdom - well, he has a lot to think about.

He’d already agreed to stay with the Matthews’ for the night, and he didn’t really have any other place to go, so here he was, 3 am on the day after Christmas, thinking over a bowl of sugary cereal that was probably meant for the kids.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Cory asks, wandering in.

“Nope,” Shawn replies, “You?”

“Topanga had one of her midnight wonderings. Getting back to sleep after that is impossible.” Cory flops down on the seat next to Shawn, takes one look at his bowl, and gets up to pour himself his own midnight snack. “So what’s bothering ya, Shawnie?”

“Nothing,” he replies, pushing a few pieces of cereal around in the milk without eating. They were all soggy by now anyway. Cory gives him a look, but doesn’t push - that’s new. He hadn’t quite grown out of the need to know (and fix) everything before Shawn left. Must have been the kids. They sit together, Cory munching loudly on a mouthful of cereal for several minutes.

“You’ve got a smart kid,” Shawn says finally. Cory smiles.

“I do. What’d she do this time?”

    “She was right, kinda. That she reminds me that--” he trails off.

    “Thing is, Cor, it’s not just that,” Shawn says starting over, carefully watching his bowl of cereal instead of Cory’s face, “I’m happy with my life, okay? I’m writing, I’m taking pictures, it’s what I always wanted. I am 100% okay with how my life is going… until I see her. And then it all comes back. Writing wasn’t the only dream I had. And as much as I love what I do, and as proud as I am that I get to do this every single day, seeing her just reminds me… I already got one dream. I don’t deserve another.”

    “That’s not how that works, Shawn,” Cory protests.

    “Isn’t it?”

    “No! Look, you’re not going to have the life that me and Topanga have, we all know that. But you wouldn’t be happy in that life either. You and I both know that what’s right for us would be too boring for you.”

“I don’t know, Cor,” Shawn starts, but Cory interrupts.

“Look, I get it -- well, no I don’t exactly, because I’ve never lived your life, but I try to understand. I just-- I don’t want you giving up on something you might actually have a chance at.”

“You really think I have a chance?” The hope on Shawn’s face is heartbreaking.

“The truth?... I don’t know. You never know. But you know what? If you give up on it then I do know, because the things you give up on are never going to happen. You know why? Because you have to work at this stuff.”

“You can work all you want, but if you don’t have luck…”

“Really? I can’t believe you of all people can’t see it. You may not have your… Topanga… but you _could_ have your Riley. What else did you think her forcing us into that window was about?” Shawn can feel Cory looking at him, but he doesn’t look up.

“Yeah,” he says quietly, with a bit of a sigh. After a moment he adds, “You’ve got a smart kid, Cor.” Cory smiles, and then gets up, dumping the rest of his cereal down the sink, and heading off to bed. Shawn stays, stirring his cereal mush until dawn.

***

The next weekend, while they’re all vacationing, Shawn keeps an eye on Maya. She really does seem like a good kid thrown into bad circumstances. She’s a little like, well, like he was at that age. And so, when Riley keeps trying to engineer ways for them to be alone, he lets it happen. Of course, Maya knows something is up too, so she complains, but he tries not to take it personally.

By the end of the weekend, she seems to have finally warmed up to him.

“Hey,” she says, approaching him after their last dinner before heading back to the city. Everyone else was off packing, but she seemed to have packing down to a 2-second art. He could remember being like that.

“Hey,” he returns with a smile.

“I-I wanted to say thanks,” she says in a rush, “for inviting me to come on vacation with everyone. I really appreciate it… Mr. Hunter.” She holds out a hand for him to shake, and he takes it.

“Not a problem,” he says, smiling wider, “I know what it’s like to not go anywhere without your best friend.” _I know what it’s like to not go anywhere_ , he amends mentally. She smiles back at him and turns to go.

“Hey, um, Maya? Why don’t you call me Shawn?” he requests. She stops but doesn’t turn around. He watches her carefully - maybe he read this wrong.

“Sure,” she says, looking over her shoulder at him with a faint smile, “I could do that.” He watches the door long after she leaves.


End file.
